The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice/Hymns/Hymn 3

by Homer

III. TO VENUS.^[1]

Sing to me, O Muse, the deeds of golden Cyprian Venus, who both has excited sweet love among the gods, and has subdued the tribes of mortal men, and the heaven-descended birds, and all beasts, as many indeed as the mainland, and as many as the sea^[2] cherish in great numbers. But to all of them the occupations of elegantly-crowned Cytherea are a care. But three minds she is unable to persuade or deceive, [namely] the daughter of Ægis-bearing Jove, dark-eyed Minerva; for her the occupations of golden Venus delight not, but wars and the deeds of Mars please her, and conflicts, and battles, and to practise renowned deeds. He first taught mortal^[3] workmen to make waggons and various chariots in brass, and she taught soft-fleshed virgins splendid works in their dwellings, setting them in the mind of each. Nor does smile-loving Venus overcome in dalliance resounding Artemis of the golden distaff. For to her the bow is pleasant,^[4] and to slay beasts o'er mountains, and lyres, and choirs, and piercing shouts, and shadowy woods, and a city of just men. Nor indeed do the occupations of Venus please the hallowed virgin, Vesta, to whom first wily Saturn gave birth, and last again,^[5] by the counsel of Ægis-bearing Jove, hallowed Neptune and Apollo wooed; but she was altogether unwilling, and vehemently refused. And the divine of goddesses swore a mighty oath, which indeed was accomplished, touching the head of her sire, Ægis-bearing Jove, [to the effect] that she would be a virgin all her days. But to her her father granted a fair gift instead of marriage, for she sat down in the midst of the dwelling,^[6] enjoying the savour. And she possesses honour in all the temples of the gods, and among all mortals is the most honoured of the gods. Of these [three] she is unable to persuade or beguile the minds, but of others there is nought that can escape Venus, neither among the blessed gods, nor mortal men. Nay, she even turns aside the mind of thunder-rejoicing Jove,^[7] who is both mightiest, and has been allotted the mightiest honour; and having beguiled his mind, when she wishes, she easily mingles him with mortal dames, escaping the notice of his sister-wife, who is much the most beauteous in form among the immortal goddesses. For wily Saturn and her mother Rhea brought forth her most glorious, but Jove, who kens imperishable counsels, made her his hallowed wife, knowing good things. But into [Venus] herself Jove cast sweet desire in her mind, that she should enjoy the embraces of a mortal man, that with all speed she herself might not be excluded from the mortal couch, and smile-loving Venus, sweetly smiling, might at some time boast among all the gods, how that she had mingled the gods with mortal women, and mortals had borne^[8] [children] to immortals, and how she had mingled the goddesses with mortal men. And he infused into her mind sweet fondness for Anchises, who then on the lofty mountains of many-rilled Ida,^[9] was pasturing his herds, like unto the immortals in

frame. Him then when smile-loving Venus had beheld, she loved, and violently did love seize her in mind, and coming into Cyprus, she entered her incense-fraught temple at Paphos, where she has a temple and an incense-fraught altar. Here she entering, put to the shining doors, and here the Graces^[10] washed her, and anointed her with ambrosial oil, such as blossoms on the gods who are for ever, ambrosial, precious, which was offered in honour of her. And smile-loving Venus, when she had put on all her beauteous garments around her form, being adorned with gold, set out to Troy, quitting sweet-scented Cyprus, swiftly making her way through the clouds on high. And she reached many-rilled Ida, the mother of wild beasts, and went straight through the mountain to the stall, and after her fawning went the hoary wolves and savage lions, the bears and swift pards, insatiate after the hinds. But she was delighted in mind, as she perceived [them], and into their breasts inspired love.^[11] And they all in pairs retired to rest in the shadowy recesses. But she herself came into the well-built huts, and found the hero Anchises left in the stalls, apart from the rest, possessing beauty from the gods. But they all were following the herds through the grassy pastures, but he, left alone from the rest in the stalls, was pacing to and fro, clearly striking the lyre. And near before him stood Venus, the daughter of Jove, like in height and figure^[12] to an unwedded virgin, lest he should be terrified on perceiving her. But Anchises, when he beheld, reflected and marvelled at her form, and height, and splendid garments. For she had put on a robe more shining than the flame of fire, and she had bended circlets and shining pendant drops,^[13] and there were most beautiful necklaces around her neck, beautiful, golden, all-variegated, and around her smooth breast she shone like the moon, a marvel to behold. But love seized Anchises, and he addressed her in words:

"Hail, O queen, whoever thou art of the blest that comest to this dwelling, Diana, or Latona,^[14] or golden Venus, or well-born Themis, or dark-eyed Minerva, or whether thou hast come hither [being] one of the Graces, who associate with all the gods, and are called immortal, or one of the nymphs who inhabit beautiful woods, or of the nymphs who dwell on this beautiful mountain,^[15] and the fountains of rivers and the grassy valleys. But unto thee I will make an altar on a lofty rock, in a conspicuous place, and I will offer thee beautiful victims at all hours. But do thou, having a well-wishing disposition, grant that I may be a conspicuous hero^[16] among the Trojans, and make my progeny hereafter flourishing, but [grant] that I myself may live well and long, and behold the light of the sun, blest among the people, and may reach the threshold of old age."

But him Venus, the daughter of Jove, then answered: "Anchises, most glorious of men born upon the earth, I am no god indeed; why dost thou equal me with the immortals? But [I am] both mortal, and a woman mother gave me birth. But my father is renowned Atreus, if perchance thou hast heard his name, who rules over all well-fortified Phrygia. But I know your language and our own clearly, for a Trojan^[17] nurse cherished me in my home, and she trained up me, a little girl, having received me from my mother. Thus therefore I well understand your language also. But now the golden-wanded slayer of Argus has snatched me away out of the choir of golden-distaffed, resounding Diana. For we, a number of nymphs and Alphesibœan virgins, were at play, and a countless multitude crown-like surrounded us; whence the golden-wanded slayer of Argus snatched me away. And he led me to many works of mortal men, and also to much unallotted and unbuilt [country], through which flesh-devouring wild beasts make their way in shady recesses, nor did I seem to touch the life-breathing earth with my feet. But he said that I should be called a wedded wife at the bed of Anchises, and should bear thee glorious children. But after he had shown and spoken this, straightway the potent slayer of Argus went back to the tribes of the gods. But I have come to thee, and there was a strong necessity for me [to do so]. But I beseech thee by Jove and by thy excellent parents, (for no mean pair could have produced such a one [as thee],) leading me, untouched, and unskilled in love, show me to thy father, and to thy mother who is skilled in prudence, and to thy sisters, who are of the same race to them. I will not be an unworthy daughter-in-law to them, but such as is meet. Whether I shall in aught be an unworthy woman, or not so.^[18] And send a messenger quickly to the swift-horsed Phrygians, to tell my sire and my mother, anxious as she must be. But they will send enough both of gold and of woven vesture; but do thou receive the many and glorious gifts. But doing this, celebrate the pleasant feast of nuptials honourable to men and to the immortal gods."

Thus having spoken, the goddess instilled sweet desire into his mind, and love seized Anchises, and he spoke, and addressed her: "If indeed thou art mortal, and a mortal mother bore thee, and thy illustrious father is hight Atreus, as thou sayest, and thou hast come hither at the behest of the immortal messenger Mercury, and thou shalt be called my wife all my days, then no one neither of gods nor of mortal men shall here restrain me, before I forthwith be mingled in thine embrace; no, not if far-darting Apollo himself let fly the grievous shafts from his silver bow. I would then be willing, O woman like unto the goddesses, having ascended thy couch, to enter within the dwelling of Hades."^[19]

Thus saying, he took her hand, and smile-loving Venus turning round, went, casting down her beauteous eyes, to the well-spread couch, which before was spread for the king with soft garments, but above there lay the skins of bears, and loud-voiced lions, which he himself had slain on the lofty mountains. But when they had ascended the well-wrought couch, he first took the shining ornaments off her body, the brooches, and bended circlets, and the pendant drops and necklaces. And Anchises loosed her girdle, and stripped off her splendid garments, and placed her on the gold-studded throne. But he then, under the behest and destiny of the gods, was couched with the immortal goddess, not clearly knowing it. But when the shepherds again return back into the stall, and the cows and sturdy^[20] sheep from the flowery pastures, then indeed she breathed sweet sleep into Anchises, painless, but she herself put beautiful garments around her body. And when the divine one of goddesses had put on all [her garments] around her body, she stood by the couch of the well-made dwelling, she raised her head, and immortal beauty shone from her cheeks, such as is [the beauty] of beautifully-crowned Cytherea. And she aroused him from slumber and spoke, and addressed him:

"Arise, son of Dardanus, why sleepest thou an unwakeful sleep? and say, whether I seem to be at all like what thou at first didst perceive me with thine eyes."^[21]

Thus she spoke, but he heard very briskly from his sleep, but when he beheld the neck and beauteous eyes of Venus, he dreaded, and turned his eyes another way. And again he hid his fair face in his garment, and beseeching her, he spoke winged words: "Immediately, O goddess, that I first beheld thee with mine eyes, I perceived that thou wast a goddess; but thou didst not speak the truth. But, I implore thee by Ægis-bearing Jove, leave me not to live weak^[22] among mortals, since that man is not long-lived, who couches with the immortal goddesses."

But him Venus, the daughter of Jove, then answered: "Anchises, most glorious of mortal men, be of good cheer, and fear not over-much in thy mind. For there is no fear that thou wilt suffer evil from me at least, nor from the other blessed gods, since thou art dear to the gods. And thou shalt have a beloved son who shall rule over the Trojans, and children shall be born to [his] children throughout. But his name shall be Æneas, since sad^[23] grief possessed me, because I had fallen into the bed of a mortal man. But from thy race the gods shall ever be most near to mortal men both in form and mien. Thus counselling Jove snatched away yellow-haired Ganymede on account of his beauty, that he might dwell with the immortals, and in the house of Jove he is cup-bearer to the gods, a marvel to behold, honoured among all the immortals, pouring ruby nectar from a golden cup. But unceasing grief possessed the mind of Tros, nor knew he whither the heaven-sent whirlwind had snatched away his beloved son. Him then he mourned continually throughout all days. And Jove pitied him, and gave him rewards instead of his son, swift-footed steeds, which bear along the immortals. Them he gave to him as a gift, and the messenger, the slayer of Argus, told him each matter, at the behest of Jove, that he should be immortal and free from old age all his days. But when he heard the messages of Jove, he no longer groaned, but rejoiced within his mind, and rejoicing was carried by his swift-footed steeds. And in like manner golden-throned Morn snatched away Tithonus [sprung] from your race, like unto the immortals. But she went to beseech the black-clouded son of Saturn, that he might be immortal and live all days; and to her Jove assented, and fulfilled her request. Foolish she! nor did revered Morn think in her mind to ask for youth [for him], and to rub off pernicious old age. So as long as much-loved youth possessed him, delighting himself with golden-throned Morn, the mother of day, he dwelt at the stream of ocean, at the boundaries of the earth. But when the first white hairs were poured from his beautiful head and noble beard, then indeed revered Morn abstained from his bed, but nurtured him in turn, keeping him in her dwellings, with food, and ambrosia, and giving him beauteous garments. But when hateful old age was completely pressing on, and he was not able to move or raise his limbs, then this seemed to her in her mind the best plan: she placed him in a bedchamber and put shining doors to it. His voice indeed flows^[24] over talkatively, nor is there any longer such strength in his flexile members as [there was] before. I would not choose thee to be such among the immortals, to be immortal, and to live all days. But if indeed, being such in form and figure, thou couldst live, and be called my husband, grief would not then surround my deep thoughts. But now old age, equal [to all], will quickly surround thee, merciless! which afterwards comes upon men, destructive, toilsome, which the gods hate. But to me will there be great reproach all days on account of thee, among the gods, who hitherto dreaded my converse and devices, by which I have at sometime mingled all the immortals with mortal women. For my device has subdued all. But now indeed no longer will my mouth be opened^[25] to mention this among immortals, since I am much hurt, hardly, unbearably, and have wandered in mind, and, couched with a mortal, have conceived a son beneath my zone. Him indeed, as soon as he shall first behold the light of the sun, shall the mountain-dwelling, deep-bosomed nymphs nourish, who inhabit this mighty and divine mountain, who indeed are neither mortals nor immortals.^[26] Long,^[27] indeed, they live, and eat ambrosial food, and the immortals raise up the beauteous quire. And with them the Sileni and the sharp scout, the slayer of Argus, were mingled in love, in a recess of the pleasant caves. But together with them at their birth were born either beech trees or high-crested oaks upon the bounteous earth, beauteous, standing exposed to the sun in lofty mountains, but they call them the groves of the immortals, which mortals never crop with the steel; but when the destiny of death is now at hand, the beauteous trees are first dried up upon the earth, and the bark perishes round them, and the boughs fall off, and at the same time their life quits the light of the sun. They indeed shall cherish my son, having him with them. And when pleasant youth first possesses him, the goddesses will lead him hither to thee, and show thy son. And unto thee—that I may pass over all these matters in my mind—I will come after five years, bringing thy son. But when thou shalt first behold this branch with thine eyes, thou wilt rejoice at the sight, for he will be very godlike, and thou wilt straightway lead him to wind-swept Thurii. But if any one of mortal men shall ask thee what mother conceived a dear son for thee beneath her girdle, to him be thou mindful to say, as I bid thee, [thus:] They say,^[28] that he is the offspring of the nymph Calycopis, who inhabit this mountain clad in wood. But if indeed thou shalt speak out and boast with foolish mind, that thou wast mingled in dalliance with well-crowned Cytherea, Jove, enraged, shall smite thee with the smouldering lightning. All is told to thee, but do thou, understanding in thy mind, restrain thyself, nor mention my name. But guard against the wrath of the gods."

Thus having spoken, she leaped forth towards the windy heaven. Hail, O goddess, ruling over well-built Cyprus, and I, beginning from thee, will pass on to another hymn.

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1. An elegant paraphrase of this hymn, which Coleridge (p. 299) considers as "conceived in an older, more Homeric spirit, than any of the other hymns," will be found in the second volume of Congreve's works. Muller, Lit. of Greece, vii. 6, says, "it is an obvious conjecture that this hymn (the tone and expression of which has much of the genuine Homer) was sung in honour of princes of the family of Æneas, in some town of the range of Ida, where the same line continued to reign even until the Peloponnesian war." Grote, vol. i. p. 73, rather thinks that it was "probably sung at one of the festivals of Aphrodite in Cyprus."
2. Cf. Eurip. Hippol. 2, sqq., and 447, φοιτᾷ δ' ἀν' αἰθέρ', ἔστι δ' ἐν θαλασσίῳ Κλύδωνι Κύπρις, πάντα δ' ἐκ ταύτης ἔφυ. Lucret. i. 17, "Denique per maria ac montis, fluviosque rapacis. Frundiferasque domos avium, camposque virentis, Omnibus incutiens blandum per pectora amorem, Efficis, ut cupide generatim secla propagent."
3. Hermann prefers ἐπιχθονίοις, joining it with ποιῆσαι.
4. Compare the prayer of Artemis to her father Jove, in Callimach. in Dian. 6, δός μοι παρθενίην αἰώνιον, ἄππα, φυλάσσειν . . . δός δ' ἰοὺς καὶ τόξα, κ. τ. λ.
5. "Nemo, quod sciam, hunc locum explicare conatus, Vestam nempe primam Saturno genitam, hoc est seniorem; et tamen juniorem, ultimamque; cum sunt Juno et Ceres, priores. Ipse tamen poeta mox explicat quodammodo, ubi πρώτῃ καὶ πυμάτῃ Ἑστίῃ σπένδεσθαι λέγει, xxviii. vs. 5." Barnes.
6. Alluding to the place where Venus was supposed to preside. Firmicus de Err. Prof. Rel. p. 19. "Vesta autem quid sit discite, ne putetis antiquum aliquid, aut cum summo terrore inventum. Ignis est domesticus, qui in focis quotidianis usibus servit." Albricus de Deor. Imagg. § 17, "erat enim templum (Vestæ) latum et spatiosum, cum ara in medio." Cf. Serv. on Virg. Æn. ii. 296.
7. Cf. Eur. Hipp. 453, sqq.
8. Read τέκον with Hermann.
9. Cf. Coleridge, p. 299.
10. Cf. Odyss. θ. 362, sqq., where these lines also occur.
11. Cf. Lucret. above quoted.
    "For every glance she gives, soft fire imparts,
    Enkindling sweet desire in savage hearts.
    Inflamed with love all single out their mates,
    And to their shady dens each pair retreats."Congreve.
    
    
12. "Virginis os habitumque gerens." Virg. Æn. i. 319.
13. I am in some doubt about the meaning of κάλυκας.
14. Compare the similar address of Æneas in Virg. Æn. i. 332: "O dea certe; An Phœbi soror, an nympharum sanguinis una?" Cf. Heliodor. Ethiop. i. 2, Chariton, i. p. 1, with D'Orville's notes.
15. I agree with Ruhnken in condemning this line as a frigid interpolation.
16. But Hermann reads αἰεὶ instead of ἄνδρα, and with reason.
17. Ernesti's emendation is confirmed by cod. Mosc.
18. This is hopeless nonsense, as the text now stands. Ruhnken seems right in considering this verse as an awkward compound of two others, but I can find no satisfactory emendation.
19. "Nor should Apollo with his silver bow
    Shoot me to instant death, would I forbear
    To do a deed so full of cause so dear.
    For with a heaven sweet woman I will lie;
    Though straight I stoop the house of Dis, and die."Chapman.
    
    
20. Perhaps answering to the "petulci" of Virgil; "fat and frolic sheep," is Chapman's version.
21. "———Anchises, wake;
    Thy fond repose and lethargy forsake:
    Look on the nymph who late from Phrygia came,
    Behold me well—say, if I seem the same."Congreve.
    
    
22. Anchises seems to have been subsequently punished by paralysis caused by a flash of lightning. Cf. Servius on Æn. ii. 649, "Cum inter æquales exultaret Anchises, gloriatus traditur de concubitu Veneris: quod cum Jovi Venus questa esset, emeruit ut in Anchisem fulmina mitterentur; sed Venus cum eum fulmine posse vidisset interimi, miserata juventas; in aliam partem detorsit: Anchises tamen afflatus igne cœlesti, semper debilis vixit." Hesych., ἀμενηνά, ἀσθενῆ, κατὰ στέρησιν τῆς δυνάμεως.
23. A pun on αἰνὸς, grief, and Æneas.
24. But Ilgen reads τρεῖ ἄσπετον, from Il. xvii. 332, meaning, I suppose, to express the indistinct accents of a person who speaks under the influence of fear. Hesych. τρεῖν φοβεῖσθαι, φεύγειν.
    "All pow'rs so quite decay'd, that when he spake,
    His voice no perceptible accent brake."Chapman.
    
    
    "Of youth, of vigour, and of voice bereft."Congreve.
    
    
25. I have adopted χείσεται, Martin's conjecture, with Ernesti and Hermann.
26. Hermann rightly explains this sense of ἔπονται, "quæ neque in mortalibus neque in immortalibus numerantur." Congreve has well expressed this:
    "They nor of mortal, nor immortal seed,
    Are said to spring, yet on ambrosia feed."
    
    
27. The reader will find some good illustrations of this fable in Barnes, but I cannot help transcribing the following quaint remarks from a note on Congreve's Translation, vol. ii. p. 476. "Ausonius, from Hesiod, computes the life of a man at ninety-six years; a crow, he says, lives nine times as long; a deer four times as long as a crow; a raven three times as long as a deer; the phœnix ten times as long as a raven; and these Hamadryades live ten times as long as the phœnix. But the most received opinion was, that they lived just as long as their trees. Therefore, this from Ausonius, seems rather to refer to the Dryades, and the duration of a whole wood; for there are frequent instances where they were indifferently called Dryades and Hamadryades by the ancient poets. They were very sensible of good offices, and grateful to them who at any time preserved their trees."
28. But Matthiæ and Hermann, with reason, read φάσθαι, "say that he is," &c.